This document covers the fundamentals of business communication, specifically focused on written reports which are critical for organized information dissemination within organizations. It details types of reports, their structures, writing styles, and the importance of impartiality in reporting, including guidelines for both short and long reports. Additionally, it emphasizes the significance of proposals in persuading stakeholders and describes different types of proposals along with essential components.

1. Business Communications (3456)
• BSCS Semester 3
• Business Communications notes by Awais Javed Satti

2. UNIT 6: WRITTEN COMMUNICATION: REPORTS
• 6.1 Short reports
• Suggestion for short reports
• Informational memorandum reports
• Analytical memorandum reports
• Letter reports
• 6.2 Long (formal) reports
• Prefatory sections
• Supplemental section
• Presentation of the long reports
• 6.3 Proposals
• Purpose of proposal
• Kinds of proposals
• Parts of proposals
• Short proposals
• Long formal proposals
• Writing style and appearance
• Business Communications notes by Awais Javed Satti

3. What are Reports?
A report is a document that presents information
in an organized format for a specific audience and
purpose. Although summaries of reports may be
delivered orally, complete reports are almost
always in the form of written documents.
• Business Communications notes by Awais Javed Satti

4. What is a report? (Cont.)
A report is a presentation of facts and findings, usually as a basis for
recommendations; written for a specific readership, and probably intended to
be kept as a record.
❑ It is purely based on observation and analysis.
❑ A report gives an explanation of any circumstance.
❑ A report discusses a particular problem in detail.
❑ Reports are required for judging the performances of various departments in an
organization.
❑ A good report is always fact finding and not fault finding. It should be prepared in an
impartial manner. The writers of the report should be impartial in their outlook and
approach.

5. Types of reports
Formal1
Non-statutory4
Special5
Interpretative8
Informal2
Statutory3
Routine6
Informative7

6. Types of reports (cont.)
Formal Reports: A formal report is one which is prepared in a prescribed form and is presented
according to an established procedure to a prescribed authority.
Informal Reports: An informal report is usually in the form of a person-to-person
communication. It may range from a short, almost fragmentary statement of facts on a single
page, to a more developed presentation taking several pages.
Periodic or Routine Reports: are prepared and presented at regular, prescribed intervals. They
may be submitted annually, semi-annually, quarterly, monthly, fortnightly, weekly or even daily.
Special Reports: They are related to a single occasion or situation. Such as technical report of a
particular product.

7. Types of reports (cont.)
On the basis of formal organization:
Statutory report: A report prepared and presented according to the form and procedure laid down by
law is called a statutory report. Ex: audit report
Non-statutory report: Formal reports which are not required under any law but which are prepared to
help the management in framing the policies is called non statutory report. Ex: for policy
formulations
On the basis of function:
Informative Reports: These reports present facts about certain given activity in detail without any
note or suggestions. Ex: A vice-chancellor asking about the number of candidates appearing at a
particular examination.
Interpretative Reports: It analyzes the facts, draws conclusions and makes recommendations. Ex: A
company chairman may ask for a report on falling trends in sale in a particular area. He will in this
case be naturally interested in knowing all the details including that of opinion of any of the
investigator.

8. Difference Between Formal and Informal Reports
Often Internal
Usually short several sections personal
Personal
Appears as subject line in memo heading
Optional
None
Often external or distant within
organization
Usually long sections and subsections
More impersonal
Appears on separate title page
Covering letter on memo
Useful if report is over five page
Reader
Length
Tone
Title
Transmittal
Page
Contents
Page
Informal Reports Forma; Reports

9. Advantages of Report Writing
Updated informationSolves current problems
Internal Communication
Decision making and planning
Discloses unknown information
Reliable permanent information

10. Reports Format
1. Title
2. Introduction
3. Discussion
4. Summary and
conclusions
5. Recommendations
6. (appendix)
1. Title or title page
2. (contents list )
3. (abstract )
4. Introduction
5. Summary and
conclusions
6. Recommendations
7. Discussion
8. (appendix)
Short Reports Long Reports

11. Suggestions for Report Writing
Five steps are suggested to write a report:—
Investigating the source of information: It is done right in the beginning. Major sources of
information are- Company files, personal observation, interviews, letters, questionnaires, library
research.
Taking notes: During the investigation phase, the writer keeps on taking notes of anything that
appears to be related to the subject.
Analyzing the data: After taking notes it is then the data is analyzed.
Making an outline: In this stage, the problem is stated, the facts are recorded, they are briefly
analyzed and the logical conclusion is arrived at.
Writing the report: The last stage is that of writing the report. It will need constant shuttling
between the outline and the notes.

12. Suggestions For Short Reports
1- Developing the main sections
Short reports inform and analyze.
Often presented in memorandum form.
The FIVE planning steps are all the same
for all kinds of writing
❑ Identify your purpose
❑ Analyze your audience
❑ Choose your ideas
❑ Collect your data
❑ Organize your message
Short reports need LESS;
❑ Detailed introductions
❑ Numerous transitions
❑ Abundant visuals
❑ Elaborate headings
❑ Micro subdivisions
❑ Excessive formality

13. Main sections
1-Introduction
• Purpose, sources, scope, definitions, background, limits & list of topics
• A short introduction (usually without the title “introduction”)
2. Body (discussion)
• Present all accurate facts
• Emphasize important ideas
• Include visuals aids
• Use headings
• Use top-down method for paragraphs
3. Terminal Section
• Summary, conclusions & recommendations
Suggestions For Short Reports (Cont.)

14. 2- Outlining the major sections
• Topic headings (history, background etc.)
• Complete sentence headings
• Imperative sentence headings
• Variant headings (e.g. preparing before
presenting)
• Formats of outlines (numerals and letters)
• First degree
• Second degree
• Third degree
• Fourth degree
• Fifth degree
Suggestions For Short Reports (Cont.)
Parallelism in headings
All headings of the same degree within any part of
an outline should be parallel to one another.
Including other desirable sections
Many short reports are in memorandum format,
the most used format in internal business
communication.
They are originally parts of a long report;
however, it’s a good idea;
❑ Subject line
❑ Prefatory section
❑ Visual aids
❑ Transmittal letter or memo

15. Types of Short Reports
Memorandum reports
❑ Informational
❑ Conference reports
❑ Progress reports
❑ Periodic reports
Analytical
❑ Analytical personnel report
❑ Recommendation-Justification report (just like a proposal)
Letter reports
❑ Informational
❑ Analytical

16. Informational Memorandum Reports
b- Progress report
As implied by the name, it shows “progress”,
accomplishments or activity over time or at a given
stage of a major assignment. The organizational plan
is as follows;
❑ Introduction
❑ Description of accomplishments during
reporting period
❑ Unanticipated problems (if any)
❑ Plans for the next reporting period
❑ Summary (overall appraisal of progress to
date)
a- Conference report
Any employee or executive may be required to write a report after a conference with any individual or
committee.
❑ E.g. personal sales calls, minutes of the meeting attended by many people
❑ The purpose is to record all decisions and discussions
c- Periodic reports
They are as many as organizations. So learning
“what they do” is more important than “what they
are called”. ◦ Period is dependent upon the
department and the assignment;
❑Yearly
❑Monthly
❑Bimonthly
❑Weekly
❑Biweekly
❑Daily

17. ❑ A pure analytical report has one central purpose
❑ “To analyze a situation or issue”
❑ Data and evidence
❑ A good example is Analytical Personnel Report
• Ahmad, Rahim and Nabila to be analyzed for potential replacement to new office
• Introduction
• a paragraph about the purpose & sources
• Body
• Probable permanency
• Education and skills
• Personal qualifications
• Conclusions
Analytical Memorandum Reports

18. Formal Reports
• Prefatory parts
• Body or text of a report
• Supplementary parts
A formal report is an official report that contains detailed information, research, and
data necessary to make business decisions. This report is generally written for the
purpose of solving a problem. Some examples of formal reports include:
Inspection Report. Safety Report.
Formal Report Sections

19. Prefatory parts of Formal Reports
❖ The cover
❖ Title fly
❖ Title page
❖ Letter of authorization
❖ Letter of acceptance
❖ Letter of transmittal
❖ Table of content
❖ List of illustration
❖ Synopsis or Executive summary (Abstract)

20. Prefatory parts of Formal Reports (Cont.)
The cover
Gives report a professional appearance.
Includes title and subtitle (author’s name and date are optional)
Title fly
Contains only the report title and is optional, follows cover page
Title page
o A title page is the front page of report.
o Contains title and subtitle
o “prepared for” name, title, address of person for whom report is intended
o “prepared by” author’s name, title, company, dept., address, phone, fax
o Date of submission

21. Prefatory parts of Formal Reports (Cont.)
Title Page Template

22. Prefatory parts of Formal Reports (Cont.)
Letter of Authorization
• A document requesting for preparation of report
• Specifies problems scope and time, money special instruction and due date.
Letter of Acceptance
It confirms time, money, restrictions and other detail.
Letter of transmittal
• It explain the report directly to the reader
• It present an over view to reader.
• Written in informal tone.
• Generally close with goodwill messages
Letter of Authorization
• A document requesting for preparation of report.
• Specifies problems, scope and time, some special instruction and due date.

23. Prefatory parts of Formal Reports (Cont.)
Transmittal Page
Template

24. Prefatory parts of Formal Reports (Cont.)
Table of Contents
• Number and list of all section and sub
section
• It include heading and sub heading along
with page number.
• It reveals overall structure of report.

25. List of illustration
❑ Appears on a separate page immediately following the table of
contents
❑ Title and page number of every illustration must be included
❑ Lists all figures and pictures.
Synopsis or Executive summary
❑ It is a condensed version of the report
❑ It include important feature, results and conclusion
Prefatory parts of Formal Reports (Cont.)

26. Body or text of Formal report
❖ Introduction
❖ Discussion/body
❖ Conclusion
❖ Recommendations

27. Introduction
❑ It prepare the reader for discussion It contain
❑ Explanations of how the report organized
❑ Description of the problem
❑ Purpose of the report
❑ Scope (boundary) and Limitation of the report
❑ Sources and methods of collection of information.
Body or text of Formal report (cont.)

28. Discussion/body
❑ It is the largest part of the report
❑ It contain all the data that reader need
❑ It contain information that support conclusion and recommendation
Conclusion
❑ It is draw from main body of the report
❑ New ides are not presented
❑ Logical results of the evidence presented in the report
❑ Must be linked to purpose and methods described in the introduction
Recommendations
❑ Specific actions you suggest as a result of the information you have
presented in the report.
Body or text of Formal report (cont.)

29. ❑ Bibliography
❑ Appendices
❑ Glossary
❑ Index
Supplementary parts of Formal Report

30. Bibliography
❑ It is list of sources e.g. books, that are consulted during the preparation of report
❑ A list of references used in researching the report
Appendixes
❑ It contain any further material for understanding
❑ e.g. charts, pictures , tables etc.
Glossary
❑ An alphabetized list of words with definitions or explanations that are unfamiliar
or technical in nature.
Index
❑ A alphabetized list of report topics that includes the page on which the topic
appears
❑ Usually reserved for long, complex reports.
Supplementary parts of Formal Report

31. Proposals
• Propose: An Act of making a proposition(suggestion), a declaration, a plan,
or a suggestion. For example, an individual may propose or suggest a different
course of action than what was initially planned.
• It Persuade the reader to do something, to accept your written plan for
completing a task. It matters little whether your proposal is a memo or a full
document.
•Proposals: Are reports written to get products, plans, or projects accepted
by outside business or government clients.
It is a written offer to undertake a project for designing, creating something new or
for changing or modifying an existing procedure, method, system or structure within
a specified period of time.

32. Any proposal offers a plan to fill a need, and your reader will evaluate your plan according
to how well your written presentation answers questions about
❖ WHAT you are proposing,
❖ HOW you plan to do it,
❖ WHEN you plan to do it, and
❖ HOW MUCH it is going to cost.
Proposals are informative and persuasive writing because they attempt to educate the reader
and to convince that reader to do something.
The goal of the writer is not only to persuade the reader to do what is being requested, but
also to make the reader believe that the solution is practical and appropriate. In persuasive
proposal writing, the case is built by the demonstration of logic and reason in the approach
taken in the solution.
Purpose of Proposals

33. Kinds of Proposals
There are two kinds of proposals in Classification.
1) Research Proposals:
Simply put, a research proposal is usually academic in nature.
2) Business Proposals:
A business proposals is a written proposal presented from a vendor that
is intended to elicit business from a prospective buyer.

34. Types of Proposals
• Internal proposal: If you write a proposal to someone within your organization, it is
an internal proposal. With internal proposals, you may not have to include certain
sections (such as qualifications), or you may not have to include as much information in
them.
• External proposal: is one written from one separate, independent organization or
individual to another such entity.
• Solicited proposal: If a proposal is solicited, the recipient of the proposal in some
way requested the proposal. Typically, a company will send out requests for proposals
(public announcements requesting proposals for a specific project ) through the mail or
publish them in some news source.
• Unsolicited proposals: are those in which the recipient has not requested proposals.
With unsolicited proposals, you sometimes must convince the recipient that a problem or
need exists before you can begin the main part of the proposal.

35. Proposals (cont.)
Short Proposal
Comprise of 11 or less than 11 pages.
Long proposal
It comprises of more than 11 pages.

36. Proposal Includes
❑ Title page
❑ Abstract
❑ Table of contents
❑ Introduction
❑ Background
❑ Benefits and feasibility of the proposed project
❑ Description of the proposed work
❑ Schedule
❑ Costs, resources required
❑ Conclusion
❑ Appendices

37. Title page (Proposal)
Specific formats for title pages vary from one proposal to another but
most include the following:
• The title of the proposal ( as short as informative as possible)
• A reference number for the proposal
• The name of the potential funder ( the recipient of the proposal)
• The proposal's date of submission
• The signature of the project director and responsible
administrator(s ) in the proposer`s institution or company

38. ❑ The Abstract is a very important part of the proposal because it provides a short
overview and summary of the entire proposal.
❑ The Abstract of the proposal is short, often 200 words or less.
❑ In a short proposal addressed to someone within the writer's institution, the
Abstract may be located on the title page.
❑ In a long proposal, the Abstract will usually occupy a page by itself following the
Title page.
❑ The Abstract should briefly define the problem and its importance, the objectives
of the project, the method of evaluation, and the potential impact of the project.
Abstract (Proposal)
Table on contents (Proposal)
❑ The table of contents lists the sections and subsections of the proposal and their
page numbers.

39. Plan the introduction to your proposal carefully. Make sure it does all of
the following things (but not necessarily in this order) that apply to your
particular proposal:
❑ Indicate that the document to follow is a proposal.
❑ Refer to some previous contact with the recipient of the proposal or
to your source of information about the project.
❑ Find one brief motivating statement that will encourage the recipient
to read on and to consider doing the project.
❑ Give an overview of the contents of the proposal.
Introduction (Proposal)

40. Background (Proposal)
Often occurring just after the introduction. The background section
discusses what has brought about the need for the project—what problem,
what opportunity there is for improving things, what the basic situation is.
It's true that the audience of the proposal may know the problem very
well, in which case this section might not be needed. Writing the
background section still might be useful, however, in demonstrating your
particular view of the problem. And, if the proposal is unsolicited, a
background section is almost a requirement—you will probably need to
convince the audience that the problem or opportunity exists and that it
should be addressed.

41. Benefits and feasibility of the proposed project
Most proposals discuss the advantages or benefits of doing the proposed
project. This acts as an argument in favor of approving the project. Also,
some proposals discuss the likelihood of the project's success. In the
unsolicited proposal, this section is particularly important.
Description of the proposed work (results of the project):
Most proposals must describe the finished product of the proposed project.
In this course, that means describing the written document you propose to
write, its audience and purpose; providing an outline; and discussing such
things as its length, graphics, and so on.

42. Schedule (Proposal)
Most proposals contain a section that shows not only the projected completion date but
also key milestones for the project. If you are doing a large project spreading over
many months, the timeline would also show dates on which you would deliver progress
reports. And if you can't cite specific dates, cite amounts of time or time spans for each
phase of the project.
Costs, resources required (Proposal)
Most proposals also contain a section detailing the costs of the project, whether internal
or external. With external projects, you may need to list your hourly rates, projected
hours, costs of equipment and supplies, and so forth, and then calculate the total cost of
the complete project. With internal projects, there probably won't be a fee, but you
should still list the project costs: for example, hours you will need to complete the
project, equipment and supplies you'll be using, assistance from other people in the
organization, and so on.

43. Appendices (Proposal)
Appendices (supplementary material that is collected and appended at the end of a
proposal)should be devoted to those aspects of your project that are of secondary
interest to the reader. Begin by assuming that the reader will only have a short time to
read your proposal and it will only be the main body of your proposal (not the
Appendices). Then, assume that you have gotten the attention of the reader who would
now like some additional information. This is the purpose of the Appendices.
Conclusions (Proposal)
The final paragraph or section of the proposal should bring readers back to a focus on
the positive aspects of the project (you've just showed them the costs). In the final
section, you can end by urging them to get in touch to work out the details of the
project, to remind them of the benefits of doing the project, and maybe to put in one
last plug for you or your organization as the right choice for the project.

44. Qualities of a good proposal
❑ A number of factors play a role in converting this selling tool into a
contractual commitment
❑ Understand customers need as well as the products and services.
❑ Specify the scope clearly
❑ Be realistic in your estimate of time, money, material and personnel
required.
❑ Establish your credentials for accomplishing the task
❑ Highlight the benefits that would accrue to the customer.
❑ Keep the proposal short and simple
❑ Use plain language.
❑ Mention the risks and benefits that are likely to occur.